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There are lots of different factors that can cause grazing cattle to present with scour symptoms or dirty back-ends.
This week, we will look at the problem in adult cattle.
Often, when we see animals with loose dungs and/or dirty back-ends we immediately think ‘worms’.
Calves
In the likes of calves, towards the second half of the grazing season gastrointestinal worms do indeed represent a significant threat to health and performance. If burdens are high, scour is a common symptom. Faecal samples and weight gain monitoring should be used at 3-4 week intervals during the second half of the grazing season when making treatment decisions.
Adults
In adult cattle however (e.g. animals at four years-of-age or older), a natural immunity should in place that prevents ingested worm larvae from completing their lifecycles in the animal and thus causing scour symptoms.
That being said, big burdens on pasture in intensive rotational grazing systems can put pressure on the animal’s immune system. This, in turn, can affect milk yield as dietary energy is diverted to deal with the worm burden. We can use ELISA analysis of bulk milk samples to determine requirement for treatment. Above an ODR reading of 0.8 or 80%, research states that 1L of potential milk yield per cow is being lost daily.
The rumen
In adult cattle, scour at this time of the year (autumn time) is generally caused by a reduction in grass dry matter and changing fibre content as inclement weather and natural processes affect the plant’s composition. The rumen’s microbe population needs time to adapt to dietary changes, as well as balanced amounts of fibre. Sudden dietary changes cause a reduction in overall digestibility and lead to these scour symptoms.
Actions
In dairy cows, because yield can be affected, there are some actions we can take. Simply adding a long fibre source to the diet like straw or hay can help to improve overall digestibility. Other options include the addition of supplements such as yeast to the dry ration to improve rumen microbe efficiency. Digestible fibre ingredients can also be incorporated into dry rations.
In suckler cows with spring-born calves, unless there is condition loss or the animal seems off form, minimal action is needed. Take faecal samples from very dirty animals and continue to monitor.
Take faecal samples from dirty first-calvers or pregnant heifers that present with symptoms as their immunity may not be fully developed.
Learn more about stomach worms
There are lots of different factors that can cause grazing cattle to present with scour symptoms or dirty back-ends.
This week, we will look at the problem in adult cattle.
Often, when we see animals with loose dungs and/or dirty back-ends we immediately think ‘worms’.
Calves
In the likes of calves, towards the second half of the grazing season gastrointestinal worms do indeed represent a significant threat to health and performance. If burdens are high, scour is a common symptom. Faecal samples and weight gain monitoring should be used at 3-4 week intervals during the second half of the grazing season when making treatment decisions.
Adults
In adult cattle however (e.g. animals at four years-of-age or older), a natural immunity should in place that prevents ingested worm larvae from completing their lifecycles in the animal and thus causing scour symptoms.
That being said, big burdens on pasture in intensive rotational grazing systems can put pressure on the animal’s immune system. This, in turn, can affect milk yield as dietary energy is diverted to deal with the worm burden. We can use ELISA analysis of bulk milk samples to determine requirement for treatment. Above an ODR reading of 0.8 or 80%, research states that 1L of potential milk yield per cow is being lost daily.
The rumen
In adult cattle, scour at this time of the year (autumn time) is generally caused by a reduction in grass dry matter and changing fibre content as inclement weather and natural processes affect the plant’s composition. The rumen’s microbe population needs time to adapt to dietary changes, as well as balanced amounts of fibre. Sudden dietary changes cause a reduction in overall digestibility and lead to these scour symptoms.
Actions
In dairy cows, because yield can be affected, there are some actions we can take. Simply adding a long fibre source to the diet like straw or hay can help to improve overall digestibility. Other options include the addition of supplements such as yeast to the dry ration to improve rumen microbe efficiency. Digestible fibre ingredients can also be incorporated into dry rations.
In suckler cows with spring-born calves, unless there is condition loss or the animal seems off form, minimal action is needed. Take faecal samples from very dirty animals and continue to monitor.
Take faecal samples from dirty first-calvers or pregnant heifers that present with symptoms as their immunity may not be fully developed.
Learn more about stomach worms
Pour-on for stomach worms - dairy
Pour-on for stomach worms - dry stock